The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-11-12

he talked cOnhdcntially to the jury. His first
remarks were directed against the prescott.
ing attorney. The jury should try the de-
PENDANT upon the evidence in the case. He
denied the allegations Of the states attorney,
that Miller was seen taking the girls body to
the house, and said that Mrs Hegelers little
girl saw Miller cutting grass in the yard
when he was alleged to have been at this de.
serted place.
THE TESTIMONY.
The first witness for the prosecution was
CHRISTOPHER WEBER. He saw Miller on
the evening when the girl was missed. He
was trimming hedge; and witness asked,
Wouldn't he cut hair" but received no re.
ply. A little girl was with Miller. She was
standing on or against the fence and looking
over H. Witness didn't observe what she,
wore, but thinks she had on dress Of blue
material. The fence was picket fence and
witness could see through 1t.
80 years. Have worked for MIR. Hegeler, at
his house, for ten years. Have general su-
pervision OF the grounds, etc. Miller came
TO work at the house about two years ago.
His duties were to look after the garden,
flowers and the greenhouse. The LOOMS
house, in which the body was found, had
three doors. The windows were nailed up
with boards. The Kashas lived south and
east of Hegeler's. The LOOMS house con-
tanned hall and four rooms. The dining
room was on the east side Of the house. The
size of the room in which the well was situa-
ted was about 10xl6 feet. The house is O
frame house. 1t has not been inhabited for
about four years. We kept garden tools in
it. The windows and two of the doors were
nailed up in February, and we gave the key
to the remaining door to Gustave Miller. He
had charge OF the building after that. On
Thursday evening, June 9th, Mr.. Canton, a
carpenter and myself were placing timbers
underneath the porch Of Mr.. Hegeler's real
dence. / was in the house but once after de-
lvering the key to Miller There was floor
and a curbing over the well. The curbing
was about three feet high. l nailed board
on top Of the curbing | learned that the
little Kasha girl was missing at IL o'clock on
Friday morning. Mr.. Canton and l helped in
the search for her. We went into the LOOMS
house Saturday morning at about 10 o'clock.
After we entered | knocked over some straw
in the room into which the west door opened,
and as there was nothing there. went into
the room in which the well was located. The
curbing was thrown off the well and it was
open. A pail was floating on the surface of
the well, tiedlto the curbing. Well was prob
ably three feet in diameter. 1t was walled
with stone. There was piece OF iron there
about 16 feet long, and tied piece Of rope
on the iron and let it down in the well. Can
ton went after grab hook, and got rope
and let il down and soon caught something.
called Mr.. Haskns and he hauled it up. As
soon as it came to the surface saw It was the
girl, and we notified the coroner. The dress
on the body was dark blue, with little white
specks on it. WITNESS here identified the
dress). The coroner came, and Undertaken
Anderson took possessionIof the body. The
inquest was held in Clendennin's office. Mil
Ter was in town when the body was discov-
cred. He came there about the time the cor
oner arrived. On Monday or Tuesday we ex-
amined the greenhouse. There was some
burnt straw in the fire. place of the boiler.
When the court convened after dinner, he
said that he did not know whether or not the
door of the LOOMS house was locked on the
day of the discovery. The straw in the fire.
place of the boiler was similar to that found
in the LOOMS house.
Redirect examination There was no hat
or collar found at all"
CATHARINE SCHRAKA was next called. Con-
siderable delay was occasioned in getting the
testimony of the witness, on account OF
difficulty in obtaining an interpreter. Wit
ness testified that she has lived in La Sale
some time; is single and lives with her moth
| er and brothers, about two blocks from Heg-
eler's. On June 10TH she saw Miller defend
anti throw something over fence on that
morning. Saw this from her bedroom win:
dow; he dragged it after him to the old
house; he pulled the boards off and got it
to the house and threw 1t in. Don't know
| what he had But whatever it was, 1t was
wrapped in red and with blue skirt. Mile:
walked very slowly while dragging the OBJ;
iect; had one hand behind him; he looked
toward my house; he then hammered the
boards and went to the west door; he opened
| it and went in he took something out OF his
pocket and fumbled near the key hole; he had
pants, vest and shirt on. After he was in he
closed the door; he stayed there about Is
minutes; he came out through the same door
and stood before it with his hands full he
then went away and lost sight Of him. Saw
Miller in the evening; he put his hand on my
shoulder and talked to me. We were on the
street: said, "Were you asking me about
YOUR girl?" and he said mo-" and then we
parted. go
On Thursday morning PETER KAsHA, faith
er of the murdered girl, was placed upon the
stand, giving his testimony through an inter-
prefer; he said he went into the empty house
while looking for the girl, but found nothing
except little straw. When he went there
the house was easy Of entrance. Testimony
of this witness was unimportant.
| FRANCES KAsHA, his wife, said that on June
9th the murdered child was playing near their
house till o'clock p. m; then she went with
other children to near the Hegeler hot house.
| NV other four children and neighbours went
with her, all very young. The other children
returned home before o'clock. At $50 she
sent twice Tor Frances, ana the tnlTu time
she went herself to near the deserted house
and the Hegeler hot house, and made thor
Ough search, but saw no one there nor in the
garden; went to her neighbors and friends
and through the orchard, calling her, but
could not find the child Frances. AT q. M,
Friday. she went to defendant Mi!ler's with
Mr.. Maychrea's pronounced Murschock)
wife; saw him, miller and his woman, but
did not say anything, but that woman talked;
The woman with her speaks good German ana
Polish also She then said: l know where
Frances body was found; was there at 10
O'Clock Friday morning. tried to go in at the
door and tried to open the blinds, but every
thing was locked tight. | then went to the
side where the boards were, next the rolling
mill. The window was nailed up. looked
ali over among the lumber near the house,
and where there was bush. Child's dress
and skirt exhibited to witness. She idendiied
them as the clothes of her child Frances.I
She wore dark brown straw hat, white
collar, held by small pin. The hat and col
lar were not found. Clothing offered In evil
dence-a red skirt and light blue dress,
white spotted, common Calico
Gross Er.-Am "a years old; married when
10 wears old. Lived in the house near Hege.
ler's about 8 months. Lived years near
|